SHORE PEOPLE
Two North Shore mums are making an ImpACT on Mental Health Founders of ImpACT Mental Health discipline, routine, goal setting, – a New Zealand wide resilience competition, planning and pushing education programme – believe through personal failure. the consequence of uncertainty Speaking on stage, Jo and Sue share surrounding each pandemic their own personal stories of what it lockdown has a greater influence took to persevere through trauma and on our children’s mental health than tragedy. Sue, in tears, recalls what it was we have yet measured. Speaking to like to watch her mother dying of cancer parents, teenagers and educational in her teen years, and then lose her at establishments about resilience, the a young and vulnerable age. “I felt lost, duo suggest uncertainty is linked to alone and knew that no one understood possible negative feelings such as my pain and emptiness." Jo takes us a loss of control, hopelessness and back to when she was 12 years old and confusion where the outcome of each the stigma and shame she experienced lockdown announcement creates when her father was sent to prison, and significant insecurity and fear for our then subsequently taking on the role of school and university-age students. caregiver upon his release due to his Yet they suggest these are also unstable mental health. This brought opportunities to build increased feelings of isolation, loneliness and Joanne Webb and Sue O’Callaghan. resilience in our young generation, injustice. if we are able to use disappointment and failure to role model and As parents of eight children, they understand the natural desire implement healthy conversations around problem-solving, resisting to protect children from disappointment, defeat and harm – yet they negativity, emotional regulation, growth mindsets, healthy living and share how resilient kids have grit and a growth mindset to empower goal setting. them through life. Resilience is about learning skills that empower Recently published authors of "Hate Myself Hate My Life – A them to bounce back when adversity hits, grow and learn from Teenage Guide to Finding Self-Confidence and Inner Love', Sue mistakes when they fail, and try to solve problems when they arise, O’Callaghan and Joanne Webb have combined over 55 years of rather than giving up. resilience experience, their own stories of surviving tragedy and Having podcasted for over 18 months, to disrupt the theory that trauma, and research from over 70 of their podcast guests to put their everyone has a perfect life, Jo and Sue went on to interview over 70 resilience programme together. inspirational guests on the resources needed to overcome severe They strongly believe that the capacity individuals have to survive suffering. They also learnt the role of resilience when teaching in crisis, change, failure and adversity is directly proportional to the level maximum security prisons and schools, running fitness and outdoor of resilience, adaptability, perseverance and endurance they have education programmes and owning their own businesses in mental learnt. Webb states, "One thing we can be sure of is that each of us health. Jo – an avid 100k ultra-marathon runner – and Sue – a will experience pain and suffering in life, and we all need the skills, previous school head rowing coach in England, Australia and New tools and techniques to help us not only survive but also thrive." Zealand – believe walking through resilience themselves has been O’Callaghan says that the two latest consecutive level 3 lockdowns key to being able to inspire others on their journey. “We don't stand are evidence that stress management, self-discipline and emotional up and speak information and facts – we tell story and aim to inspire intelligence must be nurtured in our young people in order to provide through real lived experience of what actually works,” says Sue. the stability and security necessary to survive uncertain, confusing and It is not a coincidence that support has flooded in for the work of rapidly changing times. "Routine, structure and boundaries are a vital ImpACT Mental Health from Australia, the UK, America and New part of our children's lives, yet recently we have seen normality shift Zealand. “We are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Resilience is into school and university closures, studying from home, parents with more important now than ever,” says Jo. ImpACT Mental Health is job insecurity, financial crisis and the range of emotions attached. We delivering the necessary tools to build individuals up, equipping them forget how relevant routine is for our children: a school timetable, a with knowledge, so when life goes wrong (which it will), children, packed lunch in their bag, connecting with friends, catching the bus, teens and young adults have the strategies in place as well as the and social activities. The Covid epidemic is merely a reminder that strength to work through obstacles; while always looking to the when tough times come – and they will – our children need resilience; learning opportunity and the place in which to grow from a setback or and resilience is not necessarily something you are born with, but crisis. “Resilient people don't see themselves as a failure, they define rather, something you can learn. themselves by their successes, and when failure comes, it is viewed as Sue and Jo, each a mother of four teens, are advocates for allowing another step in the process towards success." children to experience failures and disappointments while still at home. In doing so they learn the necessary skills to empower them Introducing a range of projects for 2021, ImpACT Mental Health through survival while also preparing them for the larger challenges has a preventative education talk for primary and high school they will face later in life. Sue, who put all four of her children through parents, teacher training workshops, keynote talks and events for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award programme suggests outdoor teenagers and university students to empower skills in survival. education, sport, music, drama, dance, or a personal hobby are key Their talks and courses can be found on their website, where their areas where children learn resilience through teamwork, practice, book can also be purchased: www.impact-mentalhealth.com.
66
Issue 118 - April 2021 www.channelmag.co.nz
